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Friday, May 30, 2008

Meet Meepo, an average six year old Martian (Mar-tee-in) from the planet Martia [Mar-tee-uh]. He wakes up every morning to say his prayers, he eats his vegi's and brushes his teeth. He loves to play sports and go moon jumping. He goes to school every day and does his homework every night. And just before he goes to sleep, Meepo says his prayers and his mother reads a verse from the Qur'an and tucks him in bed. Yep, Meepo is your average martian kid.

One evening, Meepo's mother was out, and like every other evening, Meepo got ready to go to bed. As Meepo settled in for the night, something was not right. He was forgetting something, but he didn't know what. Meepo had a restless night. He tossed and turned in his bed. He dreamed he was being chased by a large martian eating rocketball. Meepo woke up in a sweat. He tried drinking warm moon milk, he tried jumping up and down twenty times, he even tried counting bleeps. But no matter what he did, he could not go to sleep without having nightmares.

Meepo woke up tired and late the next morning. "Good morning Meepo, did you sleep okay last night?" his father asked. "No," he answered, " I had bad dreams all night and I could not sleep," he yawned. Meepo's day at school was no better. During recess, Meepo's rocketball team lost because he missed the winning catch as he closed his eyes for a quick nap in the field. During science class, Meepo fell asleep while Teacher Bleam was showing the martian children how to vaporize an astroid. Meepo ended up turning his astroid into a globby lump of glue that exploded all over the classroom. The children had to go home early because the accident made the room smell like stinky old socks and rotten fruit.Meepo's friends were worried. "Are you okay," Leebo asked. "Yeah, you look like you have not slept in days," Seedo said. Meepo sighed. "I did not sleep last night, and when I did, I had these horrible dreams. I tried everything, but I could not sleep" he said. "Well, when I can't sleep, my mom gives me warm moon milk," Seedo suggested. "I already tried that," Meepo said, "it didn't work." Leebo asked, "did you try sleeping on a moon rock pillow? My dad says it puts you straight to sleep." "Oh, and listen to the songs of the moon bird," Seedo added. "If you want, I can give you my pet moon bird for tonight," Seedo said. "Okay," Meepo said, "I will try anything."

That night, Meepo's father gave him a moon rock pillow. As his father left to pray in the mosque, Meepo got ready for bed. He drank some tea; put Leelu, Seedo's pet moon bird, next to his bed. He fluffed his pillows and settled in bed. Again, he felt like he was forgetting something. Meepo listened to the soothing sounds of the moon bird. Slowly, Meepo began to fall sleep.

Meepo's slumber turned into a dream. Meepo was playing rocketball with his friends in Astroid Park. "Heads up," Leepo shouted. As Meepo jumped to catch the ball, it turned into a large asteroid with teeth. The asteriod began to chase Meepo. Screaming, Meepo found a cave and hid in it. The asteroid grew arms and tried to grab Meepo. Meepo screamed and ran down a long, dark tunnel. At the end of the tunnel, he saw a light. Meepo ran towards the light. Suddenly, the roof of the cave began to break away as the martian eating asteriod roared. Meepo heard someone call his name. Just as the asteriod reached for him, Meepo woke up to his father calling his name. "Meepo wake up, it's time for school!"

Meepo was exhausted. Nothing he tried worked. At breakfast, Meepo's father noticed something was wrong. Meepo could barely keep his eyes open. He poured his cereal on his fruit and his milk over his toast. "Meepo, you don't look very well, I think you should stay home from school today." Meepo told his father about his troubles. "Hmm, lets see, you think you are forgetting something before you go to sleep and this is why you are having bad dreams and not sleeping well?" his father asked. "Yes, but I don't know what it is," Meepo said sighing. "Don't worry," his father said, "Insha Allah, we will figure this out together."

That night, Meepo's father did not pray at the mosque. He stayed home with Meepo. Meepo told his father all the things he did with his mother before going to bed. After he bathed and brushed his teeth, they would say the night prayer and read Qur'an. She'd tuck him in bed and kiss him good night. "Oh, I see now," Meepo's father said, "you miss your mother and perhaps you forgot to say your prayers before going to sleep?" Meepo thought for a moment, that was it. He had forgotten to say his night prayers when his father left for the mosque.

That night, after bathing and brushing his teeth; Meepo and his father prayed the night prayer together and read verses from the Qur'an. Meepo's father tucked him in bed and kissed him good night. "Insha Allah, have good dreams tonight Meepo," his father said. Meepo slept soundly that night. He dreamed he was in a field playing rocketball with his friends. "Heads up," Leepo shouted. Meepo jumped and made the winning catch. His team won. Meepo was carried off the field as everyone chanted his name, "Meepo, Meepo!"

Wednesday, May 7, 2008

Saturday, May 3, 2008 my brother Naeem, took the bronze medal for the 200m dash in the 2008 Regional Special Olympics. We are so proud of him, we didn't think he'd get a medal but he surprised us all. He also took 4th place for the Shotput and 5th place in the 100m dash.

Saturday, May 3, 2008

Ten to five and still I was not done. Anisa was heading out the door when she yelled over her shoulders, "Don't forget, the show starts at seven."

"I'll be there," I called back.

"That's what you said last time," she grumbled, "and you didn't show. Can't that wait until tomorrow? This night is really important; you have to be there."

"Don't worry, I just have a few more i's to dot and t's to cross," I said, trying to sound convincing and sincere. She looked at me. "Okay, but if you miss my performance I will never forgive you."

"I will be there, I promise."

She blew a kiss and left the room. I smiled to myself. I was quite proud of Anisa. Of all my friends, she was the most quiet, timid and reserved person I had ever known. She had some real self-esteem issues when we first met due to her misfortunate upbringing. But she has changed. Ever since she volunteered at a shelter for homeless kids, she has blossomed. A year ago today, I could not get her to speak in front of our sisters' group, now she's performing on stage for an audience at the Islamic Convention for Women Against Violence!

I quickly delved back into the pile of files on my desk. Obsession with completion and accuracy has always been my problem. I could stay up all night perfecting a perfect document. Now was no different. I was just closing the last file with a smile of achievement when the phone rang.

"Hello?"

"Fatimah Abdul Kadir?"

"Yes."

"Are you a friend of Anisa Mahmoud?"

I gasped. "Anisa!" I looked at my watch, ten-thirty. I did it again. Where had the time gone? She'd never forgive me this time.

"Yes, I'm her friend."

The gloom in the speaker's voice began to frighten me. My heart began to race. "Is she okay?" I asked feebly.

"I'm sorry ma'am, but she has been killed in a car accident. We will need you to come and identify her body."

Dead! Anisa was dead! How could that be? I hung up the phone and sank into the couch. Allah have Mercy, I broke a promise. I let her down by not being there for her and now I can't tell her I'm sorry and how proud I was of her for her achievements. Why didn't I seize the moment when I had the chance? How could I let my obsessions occupy me so much that I could not make it to her final performance?

The next day, the papers were filled with praise and sorrow. They told of a promising, guiding light for disadvantaged children of the inner city, which was put out by a drunken driver when he slammed into her car as she was driving home from the Alpha Theater, where she gave a stunning performance. A young lark, she learned to fly – and now she has flown away never to return.